When the subject of community boards comes up, most people will unfortunately roll their eyes and find a reason to change the topic. It’s not surprising though, because many people see these boards as groups of longtime political insiders and community gadflys, arguing amongst themselves, with little impact on how Brooklyn’s 2.6 million residents live their day-to-day lives. But this public apathy belies the reality of these boards, which are a critical forum for public engagement in local issues.
Simply put, if you care about overdevelopment and gentrification, you should care about community boards. If you care about affordable housing, saving our local businesses or waterfront resiliency, you should care about community boards. If you care about development projects like Industry City or Bedford Union Armory, you should care about community boards.
